Environmental scientist
Assess and protect the environment through consulting, government and not-for-profit work.
Salary
Cited figures only: median full-time weekly earnings for the ANZSCO unit group Environmental Scientists (2343) from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia), and where available the QILT graduate starting salary for the matching study area.
| Figure | AUD | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median full-time weekly earnings | $1841 | Your Career (2026-09-23) |
| Graduate starting salary | $75,000 | QILT (2026-08-31) |
Jobs, demand and who does this work
Figures for the ANZSCO occupation Environmental Research Scientist (234313), the closest official match for environmental scientist, from Your Career (Jobs and Skills Australia data, sourced 2026-09-23).
- People employed
- 5,500
- Future demand
- Moderate
- Work full-time
- 76%
- Average full-time hours
- 42 a week
- Women
- 47%
- Median age
- 39
Where the jobs are (share of workers)
| NSW | 32.3% |
| VIC | 17.2% |
| QLD | 22.6% |
| WA | 14.2% |
| SA | 6% |
| TAS | 3% |
| ACT | 3.2% |
| NT | 1.4% |
Highest qualification held by workers
| Postgraduate qualification | 39% |
| Bachelor degree | 54.4% |
| Diploma or advanced diploma | 1.9% |
| Certificate I-IV | 1.7% |
| Year 12 | 1.5% |
| Below Year 12 | 0.3% |
What an environmental scientist actually does
Environmental scientists split their week between fieldwork, the lab and the desk. Field days mean early starts, driving to a site (mine, river, bush block, contaminated land or a construction footprint), and collecting soil, water, air or biota samples in PPE. Lab or office days are spent logging samples, running analyses, and writing up findings into compliance reports, environmental impact statements and management plans. A lot of time goes to interpreting data against EPA guidelines, the EPBC Act and state environment regulations, and drafting recommendations. Mornings often start with a project huddle and safety briefing; afternoons trend toward report-writing and client liaison. Consulting roles run on tight project budgets with billable hours typically 38 to 45 a week, peaking during approval deadlines. Government roles run closer to 37 to 38 hours under Australian Public Service or state awards. Most jobs blend on-site, field and hybrid working.
Typical tasks
- Conduct field surveys and water-quality testing.
- Prepare environmental impact statements.
- Advise on restoration and management plans.
Skills you'll use
- Field sampling methods for soil, water, air and biota
- GIS and spatial analysis using ArcGIS or QGIS
- Reading and applying the EPBC Act, NEPM and state EPA guidelines
- Statistical data analysis in R, Python or Excel
- Writing environmental impact statements and compliance reports
- Stakeholder engagement with Traditional Owners, councils and industry
- Site risk assessments and field safety procedures
How to become one
- 1Finish Year 12 with English, Biology or Chemistry, and Maths Methods or Advanced; Geography is helpful but not usually required
- 2Complete a 3-year Bachelor of Environmental Science, Bachelor of Science (environmental major) or a related ecology, geology or biology degree
- 3Add an Honours year (1 year research project plus thesis) if you want to work in consulting on contaminated land, EIA or research roles
- 4Gain field and report-writing experience through internships, summer scholarships or volunteer work with EPAs, NRM groups or Landcare
- 5Apply for a graduate role with an environmental consultancy, state EPA, federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), or a mining major
- 6Build toward Certified Environmental Practitioner (CEnvP) status via the EIANZ once you have around 5 years of relevant experience
Where you can work
- Environmental consultancies (large multidisciplinary and boutique firms)
- State Environment Protection Authorities (NSW EPA, EPA Victoria, DES Queensland and equivalents)
- Federal DCCEEW and Parks Australia
- Mining, oil, gas and renewables companies (environment and approvals teams)
- Local government environment, planning and waste services
- Natural resource management bodies and catchment management authorities
- Not-for-profits such as Greening Australia, Bush Heritage and WWF Australia
Career progression
Typical stages and roles. Years of experience are a rough guide; pay at each stage depends on the employer, award or agreement.
- Graduate0-2 yearsTypical roles: Graduate environmental scientist, Environmental field officer, Junior consultant
- Consultant3-6 yearsTypical roles: Environmental consultant, Contaminated land consultant, Senior field scientist
- Senior consultant or Senior scientist7-12 yearsTypical roles: Senior environmental consultant, Senior policy officer, Project lead
- Principal or Manager12+ yearsTypical roles: Principal consultant, Team or service-line leader, Manager, environment and approvals
Is this for you?
You might love this if
- You enjoy a mix of outdoor fieldwork and desk-based analysis
- You can interpret legislation and translate it into practical site advice
- You are comfortable writing long, structured reports to deadline
- You can hold a respectful conversation with farmers, miners and Traditional Owners on the same project
- You are interested in restoration ecology, climate adaptation or contaminated land
This might not suit you if
- You want a fully office-based job with no travel or remote sites
- You hate writing detailed reports or working under regulatory deadlines
- You want quick wins rather than projects that span years of approvals
- You are not happy in physically demanding outdoor or industrial settings
Ways in
Uni and TAFE routes for environmental scientist. We only list pathways that actually lead to this occupation.
University
Bachelor degrees that lead to this career.
TAFE / VET
Nationally accredited Certificate and Diploma qualifications.
No direct TAFE pathway to this career.
Sources
ExamExplained does not publish predictive salary figures. For current Australian earnings data check Your Career (yourcareer.gov.au) directly. Career classifications follow the ABS ANZSCO 2022 release.